The Affordable Care Act Is Clearly Constitutional

Obamacare Ensures Health Care Works for Every American

The Supreme Court’s ruling today confirmed what the Constitution and 200 years of precedent have already made clear: The Affordable Care Act is undoubtedly constitutional.

With this ruling comes a victory for the millions of Americans who are already benefiting from the health reform law, whether it’s the sick child who can no longer be denied insurance or the senior who can finally afford her prescription drugs. And very soon, the Affordable Care Act will go even further to protect tens of millions more from ever being denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

Here are the top five benefits of the Affordable Care Act that are making, and will continue to make, health care work for every American.

Obamacare enhances coverage for minorities and women

As many as 9 million low-income Latinos will gain health-care coverage under the Affordable Care Act’s expanded Medicaid eligibility. And because women of color account for more than half of all uninsured women, by 2014 with Medicaid’s expanded eligibility, up to 10.3 million women will gain health care coverage.

The Affordable Care Act also requires insurance plans to cover important preventive services, including critical immunizations, numerous health screenings, and counseling services, with no cost-sharing by women. In 2011 alone more than 85 million people—32.5 million Medicare beneficiaries and 54 million Americans with private insurance—including seniors, women, and persons with disabilities, accessed these critical preventive services for free.

These benefits, and many more upheld by the Supreme Court it its ruling on the Affordable Care Act, are plain for all to see. Obamacare has worked, is working, and will continue to work to improve the lives of millions of Americans. Today’s victory marks an important step in the right direction for the continued improvement of our nation’s health care system.

Giselle Childs is an Assistant Managing Editor at the Center for American Progress.